Spring mounted and rolling exercise toy



June 22, 1965 F. H. SONGER spams MOUNTED AND ROLLING EXERCISE TOY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 17, 1959 INVENTOR FRA!\JClS"H. SONGER June 22, 1965 F. H. SONGER SPRING MOUNTED AND ROLLING EXERCISE TOY 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 17, 1959 FIG.3

FIG-2 WWW-2f FRANClS H. SDNGER June 22, 1965 so 3,190,647

SPRING MOUNTED AND ROLLING EXERCISE TOY Original Filed March 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/no Q4 192 \so FIG-IO Flee INVENTQR FRANCIS H- SONQER FIGJI BY ATTORNEY June 22, 1965 F. H. SONGER SPRING MOUNTED AND ROLLING EXERCISE TOY 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 O riginal Filed March 17, 1959 228 FIGJS FIG . JNVENTOR. FRANCIS HLSONGER FIG- l4 ATTORN Y June 22, 1965 F. H. SONGER 3,190,647

' SPRING MOUNTED AND ROLLING EXERCISE TOY Original Filed March 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.I5

INVENTOR. FRANCIS HISONGER ATTORN United States Patent 3,190,647 SPG MOUNTED AND RQLLING EXERCISE TOY Frances H. Stinger, 2722 Cove Circle NE, Atlanta, Ga. Original appiication Mar. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 799,872, new

Patent No. 3,046,011, dated July 24, 1962. Divided and this application Dec. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 168,568

4 Claims. (Cl. 272-66) This invention relates to a spring-mounted and rolling exercise toy and particularly to a device of that sort on which children may sit and cause the toy to move in response to their change and weight position, body position, and the like.

This application is a divisional application of my copending application Serial No. 799,872, filed March 17, 1959, now Patent 3,046,011.

There is always a need for a device or apparatus which will capture the interest of children so that they may occupy their time pleasurably with interesting entertainment and also so that they may find some means for consuming some of their energy. Both young and older children are immediately interested in toy devices upon which they can sit and ride, or can twist or turn and move their bodies in different positions so as to shift their weight and center of gravity from the usual standing up, sitting down, or lying down positions. It is a great deal of fun to a child to experience motion and to rock back and forth or to move up and down in some pattern that is out of the ordinary.

There are various see-saw type devices and similar toy exercise devices in the prior art and there are also springmounted seats and rocking devices; however, none of these presents the novel combination of rolling, rocking and controlled spring-resilient travel found in all the embodiments of the instant invention.

Generally described, without the use of complex patent terminology and therefore with no limit on the scope of the invention presented hereinafter, the present invention is shown in several embodiments herein, all of which operate on the novel structural arrangement of opposed hoop or circular rings rolling on a track in response to the motion of children sitting or standing on the opposite sides thereof on the periphery of the hoops which roll in response to opposed motion of the children and which are counterbalanced by large strong resilient springs extendin from the hoops to a base member upon which the entire device moves. The entire device is confined for rolling moving longitudinally along the track on the base, and in one direction or in the reverse direction depending upon the predominating force from one of the children seated thereon and moving in one direction the hoop rolls and the child is moved in an arcuate path with his weight stretching the set of coil springs on the opposite side of the hoop until the force of the coil springs combined with the weight of the other child overcomes the momentum of the moving child, at which time the device will start to move in the other direction and reverse action is obtained, that is, the other set of coil springs will be stretched until the momentum is again overcome by the child being moved. Therefore, the children are receiving somewhat of a see-saw movement but at all times being seated on the rolling hoops. This provides a great safety factor in that when constructed with large and durable coil springs, accidental toppling in one direction or the other is practically completely eliminated. In a preferred embodiment the hoop and spring type arrangement with base, platform, and track is used and a substantially straight board-like member is fastened to the top of the hoops extending from opposite sides thereof somewhat in the manner of a see-saw. A hobby-horse-like grasping handle is provided in the middle of the board to which 3,190,647 Patented June 22, 1965 the children seated on opposite ends of the board may hold during movement of the device.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a rolling toy device for children which utilizes hoops rolling along a longitudinal track against the opposed action of resilient members such as coil springs.

Another object of this invention is found in the particular arrangement of seats extending from the periphery of hoop members so that children seated on opposite sides thereof may oppose their weight one against the other to shift the momentum and direction of movement.

An additional object is found in the particular manner of mounting rolling hoops on a longitudinal track with diagonal coil springs attached from a point outwardly to a point inwardly whereby these coil springs are placed in opposition to the movement of the momentum of the child moving in a direction toward the base or floor.

A further object is found in the use of the two open opposed hoop-like members joined by rigid bars and having their bottoms confined on a longitudinal track which allows substantially only longitudinal movement in one direction or the other.

Still another object is found in the particular arrangement of rolling hoops and coil springs whereby maximum safety is afforded through the holding action of the coil springs as children move in one direction or the other.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent upon reading the following specifications, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front end elevation view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a modified base of the device shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the base of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a front end view of the device shown in FIG. 6.

The embodiment in FIG. 1 has been designated by number 66 and has a base 68 with L-shaped track members 70 and stand members 72 shown in FIG. 1. Ring or hoop members 74, '76, in FIG. 1, roll outside of and guided on track member 70 along base 68 and are rigidly connected together by foot-rest members 78, on opposite sides of the rings 74, 76. The seat 82 is notched out at opposite ends 84, 86, to provide flat seat members 88, $0 on the ends thereof. The center of the board 82 at 92 is fastened by heavy bolts 94 on opposite sides thereof to a respective ring member 74, 76 and at this position in the center of the board there is mounted an upstanding handle base 96 from the opposite sides of which project an elongated handle member 100. Children 102, 104 seated on opposite ends of the board may grasp the handle with their hands.

A large heavy coil spring 106 has a heavy hooked portion 103 thereof hooked around and attached to the foot rest member 78 and has the bottom 110 thereof hooked around a heavy rod retaining member 112 extended between and attached to the opposite track members 70. A similar coil spring 114 has the upper hooked end 116 thereof attached to the cross-bar foot member 80 and likewise has the bottom hooked portion 118 hooked around and attached to the retaining member 112. Each heavy coil spring extends diagonally from its respective foot rest member 78 or 80 downward to attach to the retaining member 112 which is located approximately in the center of the base 68.

The operation of this embodiment is similar to that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of my co-pending application S.N. 799,872, now Patent 3,046,011, in that children 162 or 104 will shift their bodies to shift their Weight in such a manner as to cause the rings 74, 76 to roll in one direction thereby extending and stretching the heavy coil spring on that side which spring resists the movement of the weight of the child on the opposite side. Eventually the resistance of the coil spring is such as to prevent further overbalancing on that side if combined with the shifting weight of the child 102 or 194 on the opposite side will cause the rings 74, 7 6 and seats and children thereon to start moving and shifting in the opposite direction. Therefore, by shifting their weight and being moved in one direction and then being returned in the other direction, the children 102, 104 have the pleasure of moving and rolling backwards and forwards along the base 68. They are at all times in contact with the seat and with the base portion 68 but they are never entirely suspended in air as in the case of a see-saw. Either child 102, 104 may shift his weight while sitting on his respective seat 88, 9t) and may also rise from the seat by standing on the respective foot rest 78, $0, and this gives either child a good bit of freedom in shifting his weight and causing a change in force of his respective position.

In FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, there is shown a modified form of base which may be used with the embodiment shown in FiG. 1. This base in general at 130 is readily constructed from wood, plastic or the like and consists of a substantially rectangular flat base member 132 in which there is formed a pair of parallel longitudinal spaced grooves 134, 136 on the top thereof providing track channel members in which the rings 74, 76 rest and ride in guided movement therein, A screw eye member 138 is screwed into the base 132 and this eye 138 will retain the ends of the diagonal coil springs 1%, 114. A pair of end stand members 140, 142 are attached respectively by screws 144 on the respective ends of the base 132 to support the base 132 on and above the ground surface.

While I have shown and described herein several embodiments of my generic invention, this is by way of illustration only, and is not to be construed as the only forms which my invention may take, since there are various alterations, substitutions, eliminations, variations, changes, diversions and modifications which may be made in the embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a rolling toy exercise device of the class described, an elongated base member having ground contact means thereon, a guide means mounted on said base member and providing a guide thereon extending longitudinally therealong, a rolling support comprising a circular member mounted on said base member for rolling movement thereon, and normally being positioned substantially in the center thereof, said support being positioned to be guided in movement by said guide means, a first foot rest bar member on said support on the side thereof, a second foot rest member extending across said support and rigidly connected thereon on the other side thereof, an elongated seat member mounted on said support at the top thereof and normally extending substantially parallel with said base member when at rest thereon, a seat formed on each end of said seat member, there being a seat on each side of said support projecting therefrom, a hand-hold member mounted substantially in the center of said seat member so that a child seated on each of said seat members on the end of said seat member may extend his arms and hold on to said handle member, a large heavy coil spring having one end thereof connected to the said first foot rest member and the other end thereof connected to said base member, a second large coil spring having one end thereof connected to said second foot rest member and having the other end thereof connected to said base member, said coil springs extending diagonally from said respective foot rest members to said base member connected at a point substantially adjacent each other, whereby children seated in said seats may overbalance each other to cause said support first to move in one direction along said base and against the resistance of the spring on one side, and thereafter to be resisted from further movement and reversed and returned in the other direction against the resistance of the spring on the other side whereupon children may alternately shift their weight and temporarily one overcome the other to cause said rolling toy member to roll along said base member in a forwardly and rearwardly direction thereon, said circular member being sufiicient in length as measured along the circumference to permit the child on one of said seat members on that end of said seat member to pass beyond the normal vertical when moving from a down to an up position against the action of the large heavy coil spring, thereby allowing the child to accomplish the sensation of rolling over on his head as he propels the device from one direction upwardly and over beyond the vertical in the other direction.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base member is a substantially rectangular flat board-like member having spaced grooves indented therein forming opposed track members thereon constituting said guide means and wherein an eye bolt member is attached in the center of said base to receive the lower end of each of said coil springs rigidly fastened thereto.

3. In a rolling toy exercise device of the class described, an elongated substantially rectangular base member having ground contact means on each end thereof, upstanding track members mounted in opposed relationship on said base member and providing a spaced track thereon extending longitudinally therealong, a rolling frame comprising a pair of rolling ring members mounted on said base member for rolling movement thereon, and normally being positioned substantially in the center thereof, said ring members being positioned in substantially concentric relationship each outside a respective track member, a first foot rest cross-connecting bar member rigidly connecting said ring members on one side thereof, a second cross-connecting foot rest bar member extending across said rings and rigidly connecting said rings together on the other side thereof, an elongated seat member mounted on said ring members at the top thereof and normally extending substantially parallel with said base member when at rest thereon, a seat formed on each end of said seat member, there being a seat on each side of said ring members projecting therefrom and a hand-hold member mounted substantially in the center of said seat member so that a child seated on each of said seat members on the end of said seat member may extend his arms and hold on to said handle member, a large heavy coil spring having one end thereof connected to the said first foot rest member and the other end thereof connected to said base member, a second large coil spring having one end thereof connected to said base member, said coil springs extending diagonally from said respective foot rest members to said base member connected at a point substantially adjacent each other, whereby children seated in said seats may overbalance each other to cause said rings to first move in one direction along said base and against the resistance of the spring on one side, and thereafter to be resisted from further movement and reversed and returned in the other direction against the resistance of the spring on the other side, whereupon children may alternately shift their weight and temporarily one overcome the other to cause said rolling toy member to roll along said base member in a forwardly and rearwardly direction thereon, said ring members being sufiicient in length measured along the circumference to permit the child on one seat to pass beyond the normal vertical when moving from a down to an up position against the action of the coil spring, thereby allowing the child to accomplish the sensation of rolling over on his head as he propels the device from one direction upwardly and over beyond the vertical in the other direction.

4. In a rolling toy exercise device a base member normally resting substantially fiat upon the ground, guide means on said base member, a rolling member comprising a circular member mounted on said base member adjacent and controlled by said guide means, an elongated childs seat board on the top of said rolling member having a childs seat on each end thereof, first spring means resisting the rolling movement of said device in one direction thereof, another opposing spring means resisting the rolling movement of said device in the other direction thereof, whereby said device rolls in said guide and is limited in forward and reverse movement by the resistance of said spring means, said circular member being sufiicient in length measured along the circumference to permit a child on the seat board to pass beyond the normal vertical when moving from a down to an up position against the action of said spring means in one direction and against said opposing spring means in the other direction, thereby allowing a child to accomplish the sensation of rolling over on his head as he propels the device from one direction upwardly and over beyond the vertical in the other direction, and in like manner permitting the child on the other side to return the device in the other direction and to experience the same sensation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 24,299 6/59 Griswold 272-56 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner. 

4. IN A ROLLING TO EXERCISE DEVICE A BASE MEMBER NORMALLY RESTING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT UPON THE GROUND, GUIDE MEANS ON SAID BASE MEMBER, A ROLLING MEMBER COMPRISING A CIRCULAR MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER ADJACENT AND CONTROLLED BY SAID GUIDE MEANS, AN ELONGATED CHILD''S SEAT BOARD ON THE TOP OF SAID ROLLING MEMBER HAVING A CHILD''S SEAT ON EACH END THEREOF, FIRST SPRING MEANS RESISTING THE ROLLING MOVEMENT OF SAID DEVICE IN ONE DIRECTION THEREOF, ANOTHER OPPOSING SPRING MEANS RESISTING THE ROLLING MOVEMENT OF SAID DEVICE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION THEREOF, WHEREBY SAID DEVICE ROLLS IN SAID GUIDE AND IS LIMITED IN FORWARD AND REVERSE MOVEMENT BY THE RESISTANCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS, SAID CIRCULAR MEMBER BEING SUFFICIENT IN LENGTH MEASURED ALONG THE CIRCUMFERENCE TO PERMIT A CHILD ON THE SEAT BOARD TO PASS BEYOND THE NORMAL VERTICAL WHEN MOVING FROM A DOWN TO AN UP POSITION AGAINST THE ACTION OF SAID SPRING MEANS IN ONE DIRECTION AND AGAINST SAID OPPOSING SPRING MEANS IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, THEREBY ALLOWING A CHILD TO ACCOMPLISH THE SENSATION OF ROLLING OVER ON HIS HEAD AS HE PROPELS THE DEVICE FROM ONE DIREC- 